InnerSpace is an amazing little title from the creators PolyKnight Games and features an immersive exploration experience that in my opinion is only rivaled on the Nintendo Switch by Breath of the Wild, which are some tough shoes to fill. That may be a bold statement, but we will get into what made this game great. If you are looking for an exploration game that leaves you questioning and wanting more than this might just be a title for you.
Story
You are the Cartographer (or Cart for short as you come to be known), you are the remnants of an older time brought back to life by a scientist. Your job, if you choose to accept it, is to help help him explore the world of the Inverse, a universe in which the worlds you would come to expect from a game are inverted. As in, you explore the insides that are actually the outsides. In the world you will discover many hidden secrets of a long lost civilization and the Demigods that inhabit these realms.
Although pretty basic the story didn't need to be anymore complicated than that. This game is about discovery and learning about the Inverse and the gods surrounding them, which is beautifully told in a world where you are constantly in a state of disarray, because cardinal directions are thrown out the window.
Gameplay
The gameplay is fairly simple, but takes a lot of getting used to. When I first started playing I would have said the controls were wonky, it takes a lot of mental effort to understand the physics of the world you are exploring, and understanding that there is no up or down, and the controls are the way they are so that it is most easily navigable. The only thing that I disliked about the controls was the lack of use of the other buttons. For the most part you use the two control sticks to fly, one button to re-enter flight and another for drifting. It would have been nice to see the incorporation of more buttons here, whether it would have been giving the cartographer the ability to shoot or something else would have been nice.
There pretty much isn't a user interface in the game. Which in my opinion is the best part about the game. When you are left to use your eyes and ears instead of following a HUD it leaves for a truly immersive experience. The only semblance of a user interface in the game happens when you enter the pause menu, you can look at artifacts you have collected, change the look of your character, see how much wind you've collected, see what zone your in and that's about it, which is really nice. When you talk to the scientist are are brought into a similar user interface which feels consistent and cohesive.
Graphics and Sound
I'll put it simply the game is gorgeous, the cell shaded look to the inverted worlds you can explore are detailed just enough for you to understand what it is without complicating it, and makes a perfect addition to the Nintendo Switch. The atmospherics in the game are not over done and are used to draw the player in the direction of interesting points. The sound is very simplistic and soothing electronic music score make this a game that. If you're looking for a relaxing game this might just be it.
Conclusion
While the game wasn't particularly long, I really enjoyed it. If you are a completionist collecting the all the relics and the wind in every level will be great for you as long as you are wanting and willing to explore the different worlds that InnerSpace has to offer. Over all discovering the games hidden secrets, while learning about the Inverse and befriending demigods was very entertaining. A lot of times video games try to complicate their gameplay adding additional things for the player to do whether it be leveling up and messing about with skill trees, or crafting systems that take the player forever to collect the right materials to make the best things. This game does not do that. This game is about exploration and discovery, and it did just that. If you want a feel good game, with a light ambiance, simple but effective story telling, and an overall fun experience then I would highly recommend this game. It's one of the best I've played on the Nintendo Switch thus far.
